Here is the deal (from memory so it could be flawed). In the first expansion draft (1988), Vinnie Johnson was left exposed (unprotected). No one picked him.

The next year, 1989, the Pistons won the title and Mahorn was one of the players left exposed. He was selected by the Minnesota Timberwolves. He refused to report, and Minny traded him to Philadelphia for 3 draft picks. I think it was one first and two second round picks.

While in Philadelphia, he teamed up with Charles Barkley to form a mini-Bad Boys unit, hilariously labelled, "Thump and Bump".

Barkley was notorious for running his mouth and with Bad Boy Rick guarding his 6 (o'clock), he was more emboldened, trying to size up and challenge Laimbeer.

Before that game in Philadelphia, Mahorn and Barkley sent Laimbeer that handwritten note via a ballboy (?). It was on a napkin or ticket, I can't remember.

There was a bench clearing brawl at one point, big fines were handed out, Barkley said he didn't care about fines because he made so much money, and one of Mahorn and Barkley vowed to get revenge on Scott Hastings who had become involved in the melee. Isaiah threw a punch at Barkley, missed and got a big fine for throwing it anyway.

I remember that brawl like it was yesterday. I recall watching it on TV and being so mad at Rick Mahorn for attacking the Pistons.

Looks like I confused some things
I thought there'd be a pic with the message on it... hadn't Mahorn and Laimbeer quarreled after Mahorn left the team?

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I don't know if they "quarreled" exactly, but I do remember Mahorn being miffed and hurt (understandably in my opinion) when he talked about how he telephoned Laimbeer one night after leaving the team (due to being left unprotected).

According to Mahorn, Laimbeer said something like (I can't remember exactly) "Why are you even calling me? You're the enemy now". It was something like that. Maybe he said "We aren't friends any longer". I can't remember exactly.

That's the one thing in Laimbeer's entire stay with the Pistons that ticked me off at him. I never understood that.

The Pistons tried to make a trade with Minny to guarantee Rick wouldn't be taken, but it happened. The reality is that Edwards outplayed him, and his back kept acting up. Not to mention that Salley was playing great off of the bench and they still thought Bedford might come around.

Here is the deal (from memory so it could be flawed). In the first expansion draft (1988), Vinnie Johnson was left exposed (unprotected). No one picked him.

The next year, 1989, the Pistons won the title and Mahorn was one of the players left exposed. He was selected by the Minnesota Timberwolves. He refused to report, and Minny traded him to Philadelphia for 3 draft picks. I think it was one first and two second round picks.

While in Philadelphia, he teamed up with Charles Barkley to form a mini-Bad Boys unit, hilariously labelled, "Thump and Bump".

Barkley was notorious for running his mouth and with Bad Boy Rick guarding his 6 (o'clock), he was more emboldened, trying to size up and challenge Laimbeer.

Before that game in Philadelphia, Mahorn and Barkley sent Laimbeer that handwritten note via a ballboy (?). It was on a napkin or ticket, I can't remember.

There was a bench clearing brawl at one point, big fines were handed out, Barkley said he didn't care about fines because he made so much money, and one of Mahorn and Barkley vowed to get revenge on Scott Hastings who had become involved in the melee. Isaiah threw a punch at Barkley, missed and got a big fine for throwing it anyway.

I remember that brawl like it was yesterday. I recall watching it on TV and being so mad at Rick Mahorn for attacking the Pistons.

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I love Laimbs, don't get me wrong... but Ricky M is my favorite Piston of all time!

I don't know if they "quarreled" exactly, but I do remember Mahorn being miffed and hurt (understandably in my opinion) when he talked about how he telephoned Laimbeer one night after leaving the team (due to being left unprotected).

According to Mahorn, Laimbeer said something like (I can't remember exactly) "Why are you even calling me? You're the enemy now". It was something like that. Maybe he said "We aren't friends any longer". I can't remember exactly.

That's the one thing in Laimbeer's entire stay with the Pistons that ticked me off at him. I never understood that.

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It's called karma.

I met Rick Mahorn after the championship, asked for an autograph and he proceeded to snatch the piece of paper out of my hand without making eye contact and toss it back at me never acknowledging my existence. He soured my childlike fascination with "celebs" going forward.

Days later he was shipped out of here.

Consequently, over 10 years later I met him again during the Pistons 2004 championship run. He obviously didn't remember me and seemed to be quite genuine so I made peace with him and finally let the disgust I had accumulated through the years fade. I've always looked at that as an omen as our Pistons then proceeded to shock LA to win the championship.

Thank you so much for that informative post, Roscoe- it's really interesting to learn about things that happened before I became a fan (I became a Pistons fan in Grant Hill's rookie season); at that time, Mahorn and Dumars were still around hustlin'.
It's quite interesting to discover that I'd have loved the Pistons of the 80s- I saw the clips posted in this forum with the young Isiah, the young Dumars, Laimbeer, the microwave and so on and the style of play back then makes it easier to understand why many people are so against lazy players with the wrong attitude or against these stupid superstar- calls players like Wade get.
I'm pretty sure that I would've been a fan of these earlier Pistons too if I was a little bit older!

I met Rick Mahorn after the championship, asked for an autograph and he proceeded to snatch the piece of paper out of my hand without making eye contact and toss it back at me never acknowledging my existence. He soured my childlike fascination with "celebs" going forward.

Days later he was shipped out of here.

Consequently, over 10 years later I met him again during the Pistons 2004 championship run. He obviously didn't remember me and seemed to be quite genuine so I made peace with him and finally let the disgust I had accumulated through the years fade. I've always looked at that as an omen as our Pistons then proceeded to shock LA to win the championship.

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Hmm... could lightning strike twice?

Maybe you could ask Flip Saunders for an autograph and get him shipped out of town. Common Mo, take one for the team!